The traditional St Patrick's Day parade has been cancelled in Frank Sinatra's backyard after a spate of drunken assaults and vandalism.

Plans for the 26th parade in the city of Hoboken, New Jersey, have been scrapped after two reports of sexual assaults and 34 arrests during celebrations last year.

Mayor Dawn Zimmer had suggested switching the parade from a Saturday to a Wednesday evening to prevent a repeat of brawling and criminal damage.

Not this year: The traditional St Patrick's Day parade in Hoboken, New Jersey, has been cancelled after brawls and criminal damage marred last year's celebrations

But members of the Hoboken St Patrick's Parade Committee rejected the move and described it as an insult.

They said: 'The City of Hoboken's inability to protect our spectators, bands and participants led us to this heartbreaking decision.

'The idea of marching in a parade, in the dark, on a week night, is as insulting as it is unreasonable.

'While we remain devoted to our heritage, we love our city too much to lower ourselves to the level of those who speak from a place of ignorance and ethnic/religious intolerance.'

The St Patrick's Day celebrations in Hoboken are notorious for getting out of control as thousands descend on the 50,000 population town.

Action: The parade began in 1986 and attracts thousands of visitors from around New Jersey every year

Last year, 34 people were arrested for attacking police officers, vandalism and brawling in the town's parks.

Traditionally, the parade has been held since 1986 on the first Saturday of March, but organisers are now looking to part in other town's St Patrick's Day events instead.

Ms Zimmer told the New York Times: 'This is not how we want the city of Hoboken to be known.

'Despite all of our best efforts, we had a situation that was out of control.'

In the last few years, the town has mobilised its entire police force and begun handing out $2,000 fines for certain offences.

Music icon Frank Sinatra was born in Hoboken on December 12, 1915, to Italian parents.

Favourite son: Frank Sinatra was born in Hoboken and joined his first band there. The music icon is pictured at Manhattan Center, New York, in 1945 and, right, at Radio City Music Hall in New York, 1992

Father Antonino Martino Sinatra, known as Marty, was a captain in Hoboken Fire Department and his mother, Natalie Della Garaventa - known as Dolly - was convicted twice for running an illegal abortion clinic from their home.

Ol Blue Eyes got his first break in 1935 when he joined The Three Flashes group, which later became known as the Hoboken Four.

Hoboken has a large Irish and Italian population after they emigrated to the town following the end of World War One.

The town itself has a high number of Irish bars popular with people coming to the town to enjoy the St Patrick's Day celebrations.